Producer Vipul Amrutlal Shah and director Kamakhya Narayan Singh addressed the media in Delhi on Monday to speak about their upcoming film The Kerala Story 2 Goes Beyond. The press conference drew significant attention as the makers used the platform not only to promote the film but also to highlight what they described as real-life cases of forced religious conversions across India.
During the event, the team introduced 33 women who they identified as survivors of forced conversions. One by one, the women shared their personal experiences and the legal battles they have fought. According to the filmmakers, the aim of bringing these individuals forward was to counter claims that such incidents do not occur in the country.
Vipul Shah stated that he frequently hears allegations that “Love Jihad” and forced conversions are fabricated narratives. Responding to such criticism, he said the team decided to gather victims from different regions to present their accounts directly to the public and the media. “I often hear people say that Love Jihad and forced conversions are not happening in India. So we have brought together victims from all over the country,” he said during the conference.
The survivors who attended the event reportedly came from various cities and states, including West Bengal, Bihar, Rajasthan (Bhilwara, Gangapur, Udaipur), Gujarat (Rajkot), Jammu, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh (Bhopal, Indore), Jharkhand, Haryana (Faridabad, Gurgaon), Uttar Pradesh (Meerut, Noida), and Delhi. The filmmakers emphasized that the issue, according to them, is not confined to one region but spans multiple parts of the country.
One of the first individuals to speak at the press meet was Tara Shahdeo, a national-level shooter from Ranchi. She detailed her experience of allegedly being deceived into marriage by a man who introduced himself as Ranjit Kohil but was later revealed to be Rakibul Hasan. Shahdeo described the ordeal she faced and her subsequent legal struggle. In October 2023, the accused and his mother were sentenced to imprisonment in connection with the case. Her testimony set the tone for the rest of the event, as several other women from Mumbai, Indore, and other cities also narrated their experiences.
Concluding his address, Vipul Shah reiterated that many more such stories remain untold. He stated that the purpose of the gathering was to allow the survivors to speak in their own words. Addressing critics who label the film as propaganda, he said the team stands firmly with the women who have shared their accounts. He added that acknowledging a problem is the first step toward finding a solution, and ignoring it would not make it disappear.
Director Kamakhya Narayan Singh echoed similar sentiments. He said that there are thousands of women who may feel helpless in similar circumstances and emphasized that the filmmakers intend to stand by them. According to him, the film seeks to amplify voices that often go unheard and bring attention to issues the makers believe require wider public discussion.
The Kerala Story 2 Goes Beyond serves as a follow-up to the controversial film The Kerala Story, which sparked nationwide debate upon its release. While the sequel’s storyline details have not been fully disclosed, the makers suggest that it expands the narrative scope beyond a single state to explore broader themes.
The film stars Aishwarya Ojha, Ulka Gupta, and Aditi Bhatia in key roles. As anticipation builds, the press conference has further intensified conversations around the film’s subject matter. With strong opinions emerging from both supporters and critics, The Kerala Story 2 Goes Beyond is poised to once again become a focal point of public and political debate.
